MIZELL STEWART: Newspaper continues to evolve

Unless we break down and buy a Doppler radar unit and hire our own meteorologist, I think Wayne Hart, Jeff Lyons, Ron Rhodes and their colleagues on Channels 7, 14 and 25 have the market cornered for weather, severe or otherwise.

That fact was reinforced this week with the results of a survey on how Americans get local news and information. The study, released Monday, was conducted by the Pew Research Center's Project for Excellence in Journalism and Internet & American Life Project, and produced in association with the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation.

The study revealed that Americans seek local information through a wide variety of sources and highlighted the importance of newspapers and their associated websites in fulfilling Americans' need for local information.

For years, similar studies have shown that most people go to television as their leading source of local news. This study was no different, but it pointed out that commercial television is the top source for certain kinds of information.

According to the study, "local TV draws a mass audience largely around a few popular subjects,' such as breaking news, weather and traffic. "Local newspapers attract a smaller cohort of citizens but for a wider range of civically oriented subjects," the study's authors wrote.

Newspapers top the list for information about local government, arts and culture, community events, crime, taxes, social services, zoning and development.

Commercial television tops the list for information about weather and breaking news; it ties with newspapers as the top source of local political news.

The Internet (defined for the purposes of the study as online-only websites with no newspaper or television component) is the top source of information for restaurants and other local businesses and ties with newspapers as the top source of information for housing, schools and jobs.

Commercial radio ties with television as the top source of traffic news.

Those results chart closely with what we see every day. We routinely chart the top stories on local television newscasts on a daily basis; invariably, those top stories are "breaking" news stories on methamphetamine lab arrests, crimes and accidents of various kinds. That's not to say that our broadcast journalists don't tackle weighty topics — those topics just don't lead the news.

Most troubling, however, is the sense that 69 percent of those surveyed in the Pew study said that if their local newspaper no longer existed, it would not have a major impact on their ability to keep up with information and news about their community.

That's a huge disconnect — and suggests that we can do a better story of telling our story.

The survey results reinforce our thinking on how the Courier & Press, courierpress.com, the Evansville Business Journal and our other publications complement each other to fill the region's need for news and information.

Most recently, the Evansville Business Journal highlighted the people we call the "20 Under 40," the top 20 emerging community and business leaders in the Tri-State under age 40.

Our coverage of the 2011 Evansville city elections is in full swing; Want to meet each of the candidates? You can log on to courierpress.com for short videos of every candidate discussing his or her plans; profiles on the City Council races and candidates begin this week.

In the coming weeks, we'll bring you more in-depth reports on the issues facing the city of Evansville and how the two candidates for mayor propose to address them.

We're also putting the finishing touches on an information-packed special section on the new Ford Center, including a unique look inside the new arena and details on everything from seating to parking to places to go before or after the ballgame or concert.

With our colleagues at Scripps Howard News Service, we'll examine what it means for products to be 'Made in America' by looking at the state of manufacturing in the Tri-State and across the country.

Our partnership with WNIN public television and radio — including the "Newsmakers" and "Lawmakers" television programs — has expanded to include "The Trend," a radio newsmagazine that airs each Friday at noon on WNIN-FM. The Courier & Press and a consortium of local media organizations will also stage the second of two televised Evansville mayoral debates on Oct. 12.

In a time of great change and challenge, we continue to evolve to fulfill our mission of serving the community as well as your need for credible, in-depth news and information.